The Kingdom of Arcaelus
The Kingom of Arcaelus existed for nearly 350 years. From the seizure of the Republic, until the assimilation by the Empire. History Beginning when Arcaelus Aedatha seized control of the Republic, the Kingdom was little more than a city state. Arcaelus knew that if he was to acquire new lands rule them he would need an army. At this time "The children of Syddros" were little more than a cult, and so Arcaelus used the cities considerable talent for forging magic weapons. Creating these weapons was one thing, but the ability to use them was quite another. To wield a magic sword with any skill a person needed focus of mind, inner strength, and the ability to attune to the weapon itself. Something which only a few people in the Kingdom/Republic history had done, and indeed many had done it by accident. So Trystane sent out envoys to neighboring cities and kingdoms, to wise men and shaman. Nearly all came back empty handed, but one Atua Baroth had made contact with the Githzerai. The Githzerai were an ancient race, few even knew of their existence. These strangers were nomads, wandering the desert, but a few had founded monasteries, in order to hone their gifts and achieve inner peace. The Githzerai agreed to teach Arcaelus' troops, but only if they could choose who to teach. The price seemed steep, but if Arcaelus wanted a larger Kingdom, he could not refuse. The Githzerai chose fifty individuals, all of them no older than 12 and most of them no younger than 5. The Githzerai, took these children into the desert, saying they would be back in 20 years. Believing that he had been tricked, and had just handed over 50 innocent children to savages, King Arcaelus Aedatha sent out a rescue party to the Githzerai monastery, only to find nothing but sand. The monastery had gone. Unperturbed, The King decided he would train an army using conventional weapons, and instructed his Magesmiths, to create magic weapons that were less powerful so that anyone could be trained how to use them easily. 18 years passed. In that time Arcaelus had a son and two daughters, but his lust for more land endured. With his army trained and outfitted, and the Magesmiths perfecting a way to create "Lesser Magic Weapons" it was time to conquer. Arcaelus decided to take the city of Lyth, a city of spires and towers that glittered in the sun. Yet the City proved to be a bigger challenge than first thought. For 18 months Arcaelian troops were pushed back and back, the end seemed near. Then the unthinkable happened. The 50 initiates, no longer children, came back. Using the Magical weapons that had been created for them, they turned the tide of battle. They were faster, more resilient, and they had abilities that astounded those around them, they could move objects with a thought, trick people into thinking falsehoods, and of course they could use the weapons that no one else could. With the war won and Lyth under Arcaelian rule, Arcaelus marveled at his new troops. Only for them to say that they were leaving, they had performed their duty as per the agreement, but now they would not interfere in the ways of Kings and queens. Instead resolving to be peacekeepers. Thus the Plains Marshall's were created, a group that though secretive and aloof are known to exist today. Though none know how many there are, and only members of the order know of their training practices. Aedatha ruler after Aedatha ruler followed, some great and glorious, others mediocre, yet the Kingdom grew and expanded, until it covered the entire southern part of the continent of Harakore. The Kingdom of Arcaelus was careful to make allies with its neighbors, chief among them was the Sodian Empire. In fact it was through this alliance that brought Arcaelus to Sevrin attention. When the Sevrin Empire waged war on the Sodian Empire, the Kingdom of Arcaelus honored their alliance. Once the Sodian's were conquered the Sevrin Empire turned it's attention to the fallen empire's ally. However the Arcaelian Throne wasn't openly hostile towards the Sevrin Empire. In fact Hobbard Aedatha recognized that the Sevrin could be a very powerful ally, and so diplomatic relations were opened. Eventually Hobbard Aedatha, and the late Emperor Petrus Sevrin, created a marriage contract between Petrus' son Cassius Sevrin (now Emperor Cassius Sevrin II) and Hobbards Daughter Princess Ellarian Aedatha. All things seemed to be going well, and it seemed that The Kingdom of Arcaelus would endure for centuries to come, protected by its powerful ally. However the relationship went sour, Princess Ellarian married someone else, a handsome boy from an ancient Arcaelian family. Hoping to resolve the situation Hobbard tried to reason with his daughter, and get her to agree to annul the marriage. Princess Ellarian famously said "Any man who can change the nature of my heart to loving him instead of Aleksi, I will gladly marry, but until that day my heart belongs only to one man." Not wanting to cause his daughter any unhappiness, he allowed the marriage. Hobbard then sent many a debutante from ancient houses of Arcaelian nobility in the hopes of keeping the alliance. The House of Sevrin had been humiliated and were deeply angered, and so sighting the need for unification of Southern Harakore, they declared war on the Kingdom of Arcaelus. Thus the "Unification War" began, the events of the war will be told in another article, but it ended with House Aedatha becoming extinct and a new Emperor sitting on the imperial Throne. Category:History Category:Location